The Ondo state government has called on the state residents especially, community leaders to take charge and protect any government or individual infrastructure projects being done within their various vicinity. It also urges preventing and securing properties from being vandalized. Banji Ajaka, the state Commissioner for Health, made the call at a one-day training workshop organized by the state Global Fund/National Agency for the Control of AIDS/Resilient Sustainable System for Health/COVID-19 Response Mechanism held in Akure, the Ondo state capital.
Represented by the deputy director of public enlightenment, Ministry of Health, Rosemary Falokun, Ajaka said it is imperative to make such a call in order to encourage the government and individuals to bring more developmental projects to the rural areas across all the 18 local government areas of the state. While underlining that the government can accomplish it all alone, he urges the inhabitants to take responsibility for their health and modify their behavioral pattern.
This main objective was to pinpoint issues degrading the state healthcare.
Ajaka mentions the fact that there are groups in the state that are working in tandem with the state government to advance health initiatives. He reiterates the point by saying that actions taken by the government are not enough. The aforementioned organizations have been taking an active role in a wide range of governmental projects, such as impromptu visits to community centers where they have participated in exercises for the prevention and control of infectious diseases.
The Global Fund/National Agency for the Control of AIDS/Resilient Sustainable System for Health/COVID-19 Response Mechanism Project’s Ondo State Programme Officer, Jumoke Abereowo, also highlighted the significance of the training. According to her, the project’s primary objective was to pinpoint the systemic issues that were degrading health care in Ondo state’s various communities. Abereowo stated that the initiative is now underway in all 18 of Nigeria’s states, with Ondo state as one of the beneficiaries. The initiatives are also geared on bettering the state’s infrastructure and facility-based organizations.
Fifteen communities in the state are underway in the project.
She further highlighted Owo, Akure South, Akure North, and Ilaje in Ondo West as five of the state’s key local governments where the projects are being implemented. Fifteen local communities are involved in the initiative to improve the performance of the ATM network for people living with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. For the state’s actions and operations to advance rapidly, communities must step up and shoulder more responsibility, particularly for addressing problems that have arisen in healthcare institutions from their part.
On the other hand, the State Programme Officer also recommends that the government increase and fortify its endeavors to provide medical staff and health volunteers. For example ad-hoc staff that works towards fortifying health facilities operations while also developing themselves, amassing skills and knowledge and also receiving stipends. Abereowo also encourages people to work together in the state to safeguard any infrastructure projects that are brought into their neighborhoods by the government or private citizens.
The state has a shortage of medical professionals.
Justice Development and Peace Centre (JDPC) Ondo state Diocese Programme Officer Austin Ogunleye during the training also addressed that it was challenging to deploy health officials to each of these health facilities during their project monitoring in certain remote locations. He came to the conclusion that there was sufficient evidence to suggest that the state was experiencing a shortage of medical professionals and he recommended the state government to take action in order to address the problem.
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